WA Poll Close - issues matter

Meredith Hammat, Spokesperson, Save Our Services talks to the ABC about the findings of the poll (read it here)

Save Our Services has commissioned a survey of six of our nine target electorates for the WA state election.

Everyone loves the races and wants to know who is leading at the last turn. We're less than six months from voting.

Across the six marginal Perth electorates survey, our polling group WA Opinion Polls estimated that there is a 9% swing on against the Liberal Government, the two-party preferred vote is 49% for the government and 51% for Labor.

For the first time the new electorate of Bicton has been polled with a 50/50 result.

At this stage, the election is too close to call.

This poll has surveyed a sample 2,700 of West Australians across six key inner and outer Perth metropolitan electorates using a mixed method of robbo-survey and in-person telephone calls.

Within this sample, 610 West Australians in these electorates were surveyed in-person and in-depth to identify issues of concern to them.

Unprompted the top issues for these West Australians are health and hospitals, public transport and jobs.

Underlying these top-of-mind issues for key voters is the record of mismanagement and poor decisions from the Barnett Government.

Privatisation and cut backs to health, education and other services are short-sighted because they end up costing more in the long run.

The decision to slash Education Assistants in our schools, leaving teachers alone in our classrooms is a classic example of shortsightedness.

Privatisation and service cuts also cost jobs.

As unemployment and under-employment rise, many West Australians struggle with rising costs of living and increasingly rely on publicly provided services in our schools and hospitals.

The record on hospital privatisation has become a tragic tale of one management stuff-up after another.

The promise to privatise Western Power is a promise to increase electricity bills.

When our public assets and services are sold, they are gone forever.

We can’t afford Barnett.

The recent business-funded poll was commissioned and leaked to cause maximum damage to the Premier’s personal political future.

This poll is about the issues that West Australians are concerned about in the lead up to what looks set to be a close electoral contest for government.

That electoral contest should be about ideas and values for a more secure future for all West Australians.

This election and our key issues, make the work we do that much more important. Can you do more to help Save Our Services?